There’s a surprising amount to unpack with this perfect replica Omega 30T2. The movement’s serial number dates to 1939, which was certainly historic as Britain entered World War II in September. Swiss super clone Omega buffs will also note that this was the year that the 30T2 was introduced to the market. The watch itself carries the case reference 13322. However, it’s not a Swiss-made case but was produced by the Dennison Watch Case Company in Birmingham, England.
The 13322 case reference was not uncommon, and Dennison made it for decades. The case has been found on luxury replica Omega UK, Tissot, and Longines models to name a few. It was also produced in different materials, such as steel and gold. Dennison also produced a rare version in sterling silver, and it was this material that ultimately drew me into the auction.
Starting with the case
AAA quality replica Omega Reference 13322 cases aren’t huge at just below 34mm in diameter, but they wear well due to the 41mm lug-to-lug length. They feature flowing lugs, an unadorned snap-on case back, and a proportionate flat crown. A slim, domed acrylic crystal brings the whole thing to around 9mm thick. When I was researching the 13322, I found that most of the cases have drilled lug holes. The silver models, however, have fixed spring bars.
A quick search on eBay for either a 13322 or a cheap super clone Omega 30T2 will turn up a hefty number of watches. Look for sterling silver, though, and chances are that the search will come up empty. Pictures and accounts lead us to believe that the movements for the silver models were made in 1939 and 1940. The Birmingham assay stamps on the inside case back point to 1941. This helpful site is wonderful for decoding the symbols, and, as we can see, the capital “R” is the giveaway. As far as production figures or remaining pieces, no one knows. What I have ascertained is that they’re uncommon, with some longtime collectors having seen less than a handful.
Was silver an odd choice?
I was surprised that a silver case was used during wartime. Of course, watches need to be made of something metallic, and it turned out that silver was of relatively low importance for the military. Metals such as steel, copper, and nickel were far more crucial for weaponry and armaments. Because of this, silver was a substitute for some of these metals in daily life. It even carried a relatively low price of roughly 40 cents per ounce during the period. If we return to the high quality replica Omega 30T2, I’d love to know how many were made and how many remain. Perhaps most were relegated to the scrap pile.
The 30T2 caliber
After writing about an IWC caliber 89 that I acquired late last year, I received many comments stating that a 30T2 would be a great movement to add to my collection. Of course, I knew this caliber, but I hadn’t yet found a model that excited me. Plus, so many top super clone Omega watches from this period have been redialed or overpolished. Thankfully, this 13322 doesn’t suffer from either of these maladies. Simply put, the 30T2 is a legendary powertrain that is famous for its robustness and serviceability. It was in production for over 25 years (under various three-digit references after 1949) and received updates along the way, including shock protection. Swiss movement replica Omega produced versions with central and sub-seconds along with chronometer-certified editions. The movement also powered military-issued Omega watches during World War II.
A dial right up my street
Wholesale fake Omega adorned these British-made 13322 cases with an astounding number of dials. Many were quite dressy, but the model I own looks more like a military watch. It contains a white dial with a printed black minute track and logo. The indices are radium, and the syringe hands have a filling of the same material. The hands are blued which adds a nice touch. As this is an early Omega 30T2 replica for sale, the watch has a sub-seconds dial. While I feel that the watch is incredibly well balanced, it’s amazing that the sub-dial comes within spitting distance of the central pinion. All in all, I couldn’t be happier with the overall design and condition despite some lume loss on the minute hand.
